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Taqarub Wins Maryland Sprint Handicap

BALTIMORE,MD 05-15-10 – Shadwell Stable’s Taqarub went screaming to the front right from the start of the $100,000 Maryland Sprint Handicap and held on late to notch a half-length triumph in the Grade 3 sprint.

Eibar Coa guided the speedy son of Aldebaran to a front-running victory over an unlucky Roaring Lion while running six furlongs in 1:10.02. Roaring Lion had had dead aim on Taqarub in deep stretch but jockey Javier Castellano couldn’t find room inside the winner and had to settle for second. Ravalo finished another head back in third.

Taqarub, who paid $28.60 to win for his second career stakes victory, is trained by Kiaran McLaughlin. He won the Jimmy Winkfield Stakes at Aqueduct last year.

Maryland Sprint Handicap Quotes

Andrew St. Lawrence (assistant to winning trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, Taqarub) – “He broke sharp and got right up there. Speed seems to be holding pretty well today. I think it suits this horse. He’s a pretty talented animal. As a 2-year-old turning 3, he was very good on the dirt at Aqueduct, so we weren’t entirely surprised by this run today. The track helped him out.”

Eibar Coa (winning jockey, Taqarub) – “Actually I was kind of surprised that somebody wasn’t after him. There were a lot of horses with speed in here on paper. I got out there and waited for someone to come by me, but they never did. I wanted to be close, but I just kind of inherited the lead.”

Javier Castellano (jockey, Roaring Lion, 2nd) – “I had a rough trip. I was very tight all the way. I never had an opportunity. My goal was to put the horse on the lead, but in the beginning, the other jockey got the jump on me. I had a very tight trip all the way.”

Owner David Redding (owner, Ravalo, 3rd) – “He ran a great race. He’s getting up there in age. I know we’re thinking of running him on turf.”

John Velazquez (jockey, Ravalo, 3rd) – “We broke well and got a good position, but they never came back to us.”